Comb cleaner



June 2, 1931. p M W HT I COMB CLEANER Filed Feb. 12, 1931 3 mentor P.M.Wright fattorneg Patented June 2, 1931 I UNITED STATES PAUL M. WRIGHT, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

COMB CLEANER Application filed February 12, 1931.

The present invention relates to an improved comb cleaner, adapted for use in cleaning hair combs and also combs which are used in factories or the like for coarse W001 and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a small and easily handled implement or tool which is adapted to effectively remove the hair, wool, grease, oil and the like which accumulates upon and between the teeth of the comb and which are usually inaccessible to ordinary cleaning without an implement of some kind.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool or implement of this character which is provided with a rotary brush having the bristles so disposed therein as to not only dislodge the accumulations on the teeth of the comb but to also advance the accumulations toward the freeends of the teeth so that they may be more readily removed during the subsequent washing or cleaning of the comb.

A still further object of the present invention is toprovide a construction of implement wherein the rotary brush is provided with a spiral row of radially disposed bristles, and wherein the brush is supported upon the end of a shank which has a construction at its opposite end providing a suitable handle to facilitate the firm holding of the shank. This feature of the invention also embodies a particular handle constructionwhich constitutes a brush with peculiarly mounted bristles which, upon adjustment of a portion of the handle permits the bristles to expand so that they may more readily enter into the spaces between the teeth of the comb. i

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully clescribed hereinafter, and will be more par ticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

451 In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the comb cleaner I as applied to a comb and showing the rotary brush in position of use.

Serial No. 515,285.

Figure 2 isan edge elevation of the same, showing the handle adjusted to free the bristles thereof, and

Figure 3 is a plan view showing in detail the frame or shank of the implement.

Referring now to the drawings, the frame or shank of the tool or implement is constructed preferably of a single length of wire which is returned upon itself to provide a pair of branches of equal length and the overturned portion is bent into the form of a closed loop 10. From the loop 10, the branches of the wire are twisted upon each other to provide a shank 11 which is of double thickness of the wire and which is of desired length. The free ends of the wire are bent outwardly away from each other at the end of the shank 11 and at substantially right angles thereto, and are thence bent in a general longitudinal direction of the shank to form a pair of fork arms 12. The ends of the wire terminate at the ends of the fork arms 12 and are rolled over to. provide a pair of eyes or bearings 13. A rotary brush is mounted in this fork of the frame or shank 11 and preferably comprises two strands of wire 14 which are twisted together to provide a shaft and with the opposite ends of the shaft engaging 30 through the bearings'13. The free ends of the shaft Wires are preferably spread apart or diverge, as shown at Figure 1, to hold the shaft from shifting longitudinally through the bearings 13. The shaft 14 may be provided near its opposite ends with bearing washers lf) adapted to engage against. the inner opposite sides of the bearings 13, and the shaft lt carries a spiral row of radially extending bristles 16 which arepreferably interposed .at their intermediate portion between the wires of the shaft 1d during the construction of the latter.

The loop 10 is adapted to engage about the intermediate portion of a bunch of bristles 17 which may be of any desired length. and texture and which are overturned at their intermediate portions, as shown in Figure 2, so as to provide a flaring or spread "brush. Normally, these bristles 17 are'j adapted to be held together compactly, as shown in Figure 1, and for this purpose a ferrule or sleeve 18 is slidably mounted upon the shank 11. This sleeve 18 is re duced at its inner end so as to fit somewhat snugly upon the shank l1 and prevent the passage of the sleeve 18 outwardly over the loop 10. The other end of the sleeve 18, toward the bunch of bristles 17, is ofsuificient internal diameter to not only guide over the loop 10 but to also fit over'thebunch of bristles 17 at their overturned intermediate portion. Thus, when the sleeve 18 is slid backwardly upon the shank it engages over the folded bristles 17 and compresses. the same together into the form of a compact brush, as shown .in Figure 1. This sleeve 18 together with'a bunch of bristles 17 provides a compact handle for the end of the shank 11 and, incident to the flexible nature of the bristles 17 the handle will conform readily to the hollow of the hand when it is grasped for the use of the rotary brush 16. Then the bristles 17 are used to scrape out the accumulations between the inner ends of the teeth of a comb, the fork arms 12 together with the rotary brush 16 provide an: ample hand hold for securing the other end of the shank.

" The implement or tool may thus be made ure 1. As the bri tles of the rotary brush are arranged spirally, the operation of the brush across the side of the comb and over the teeth thereof causes the accumulations on the comb to be moved lengthwise of the;

teeth, and if the tool is given a movement in one direction over the teeth of the comb, it is evident that the accumulations may be worked toward the free ends of the teeth. Thus, the brush 16 not only dislodges the accumulations upon the teeth of the. comb but also imparts a wiping action to the teeth so as to more thoroughly and surely. dislodge the accumulations.

After the teeth have thus been thoroughly cleaned, the accumulations between the inner ends or throats of the teeth may be read.- ily and easily removed by use of the bristles 17. This is accomplished by sliding the v sleeve 18 forwardly along the shank 11 so as to free the bristles 17 and permit the same to expand or spread out as shown in Figure 2. These bristles are then in proper position to be forced in between the teeth and to thus scrape out the accumulations from the inner ends of the throats of the teeth. It is apparent that the implement may be readily washed or cleansed afterthe operation upon the comb and the bristles 16 and 17 are rela-.

tively widely spaced apart, particularly when the sleeve 18 is slid along the shank as shown in Figure 2 and thus the bristles may be quicklyand easily cleansed of any accumulations which they have picked up from the comb l9.

1 It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described. embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted. only by the scope of the'following claims. 7

What 1s claimed is 1. A comb cleaner, comprising a shank having a laterally enlarged fork at one end and a loop at its other end, a shaft rotatably mounted across the ends of the fork, a spiral row of radiating bristles mounted on the shaft, a bunch of bristles overturned and secured intermediate their ends through said loop of the shank, and a ferrule slidably motmted on the shank and having'an enlarged open end for passage over theloop,

and the overturned portion of the bunch of bristles.

2. A comb cleaner comprising a shank, a handle on one end of the shank, said handle comprising a shiftable ferrule and: a bunch of bristles overturned through the adjacent end of the shank and adapted to support said ferrule over the overturned portion of the bristles, said shank having a fork upon 7 its opposite ends, and arotarybrush mounted in said fork, said brush having a spiral row of bristles radiating therein. 1 I

3. A comb cleaner comprising a shank having a closed loop at one end and an open 7 fork at its opposite end, a shaft rotatably mounted in the fork, aspiral row of bristles. IIlOLlIltBCl radially upon said shaft, a-bunch of bristles overturned at its intermediate portion through the loop of the shank, and a sleeve slidably mounted on theshank and V 7 having an enlarged open end adapted for;

engagement over said .1001) and the over-I turnedpjortion of the bunch of bristles. Y

.4. A comb cleaner comprising a single length of wire overturned upon itself and twisted to provide an intermediate shank with a closed loop at one end and an openy enlarged portion at-its other end, a bunch of bristles overturned and secured intermediate their ends through said closed loop, a. sleeve slidably mounted on said shank and having one end reduced for confining the sleevebetween the fork and theloop and having an enlarged end adapted to engage over the overturned intermediate portion of the bunch of bristles for holding the latter in compact form, a shaft rotatably mounted in the fork, and a plurality of bristles carried radially upon the shank and arranged in a spiral row from end to end of the shaft to effect a wiping action lengthwise of the shaft during the rotation of the shaft and the bristles.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature.

PAUL M. WRIGHT. 

